Swords & Lillies
by Izza
Summary: Gandalf has bet MiddleEarth on the Fellowship winning the Battle of the Bands. Eowyn helps her friends, but can she win Strider's heart? Will she notice who's noticing her? Rated for pot smoking, language. Set in the 80's like the Breakfast Club.
1. Sweet Child O' Mine

Disclaimer: I own nothing. I just like to play.

Eowyn had no business hanging out with the boys, she was supposed to be doing her homework, but she was bored. Eomer was being a total pain and she thought she would see what was up with her friends. She didn't really get along with the girls in Minas Tirith so most of her friends were boys. Especially Strider. His name was really Aragorn but most people just called him Strider. Eowyn thought it was the coolest nickname she had ever heard.

The boys were busy in the throne room. Usually Strider didn't like to hang out there, it made him remember that one day he would have to take over the kingdom. But when they needed a lot of space for something it was a great place. Denethor usually threw a fit when he heard them playing basketball or hockey in there and had got all bent out of shape about them breaking some statue or other but they didn't really care. Denethor was just a pain.

Eowyn saw that Gimli had finished building the stage and was now working on setting up the amps. The boys had decided to form a band. Gandalf had told them to, since he had lost another bet with Sauruman. Gandalf was always betting on something, whether Shadowfax could run faster than one of the Nazgul, or if his ring could beat Sauron's. The kids were used to him. He didn't mind what they did as long as they stayed out of his way and didn't break too much stuff.

All the kids in Eowyn's group seemed to have some kind of family trouble. Strider's mother and father had died when he was young, and he had been brought up by some kind of great-grand-uncle. He loved his uncle, but Elrond was always at him about being responsible and showing leadership to his friends. Strider tried to make his uncle happy but he was still just a kid. When they got caught breaking the rules, it was Strider who took the crap.

Strider's best friend was a blond elf named Legolas. He lived with his dad who was always busy with business, but most of the time he was at Strider's or Gimli's. Legolas told them his father didn't care what he did as long as it didn't cost him time away from work. Legolas was the most laid back elf Eowyn had ever met. He lounged around with Gimli and Strider, cutting class to go to the beach and smoking grass.

Gimli was the lucky one. He had a great relationship with his dad, Gloin. Gloin wanted the best for his son and was proud of his good grades. Gimli was excellent in shop and could fix anything. He drove an old beat up cart he had bought at the junk yard and fixed up. Legolas's dad had sent him a horse for his sixteenth birthday, and he had dug up some old seat covers and fuzzy dice. The pair rode around Gondor looking for girls on the weekends. Gimli was the only boy Eowyn knew with a full beard, but that's just how dwarves were.

Boromir and Faramir were brothers. Boromir was a chick magnet, tough and cute, in a strong way. Faramir was more of a poet and dreamer. Their mother had split years ago, unable to live with Denethor. Denethor liked Boromir better, he said Faramir was just like his mother.

Some new kids had just moved into the neighborhood, Eowyn didn't know them very well. There were four of them, they were cousins or something.

Since her parents and her cousin had died in that horrid horse accident, her uncle Theoden had been overprotective of her. Her brother Eomer was just as bad. Uncle T didn't care if Strider would be king some day, he said he was a greasy teenager, and didn't want her to have anything to do with him. Eowyn ignored him of course. He was always going on about something, either her hair was too tall, (as if), or she had too much make up on, her jeans were too tight, her skirts too short, or she was smoking. She pointed out that all the kids were smoking cigarettes since pipes had gone out of fashion, but he didn't care.

Today Legolas was stretched out on the stage, his long legs in leather pants and some stiff looking boots. It was a change from his usual shorts and sandals. His mirrored sunglasses hid his eyes, but Eowyn was sure they'd be bloodshot.

Gimli was behind the big Marshal. She could see the back of his jean jacket as he worked on the wiring. Boromir and Strider were discussing something. Boromir was wearing parachute pants and a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off. Strider's leather jacket was thrown over the throne, and his black t-shirt had a circled Nazgul with a line through it. She heard them as she came into the room.

"But why can't I be the drummer?" Strider was asking. His long dark hair fell into his eyes.

"Dude, like, we've been over it already!" Legolas called out, flipping a cassette back and forth between his hands. "You get to be king so Boromir gets to be drummer. It's like, totally fair that way."

"Hey guys," Eowyn called. She crossed the big room, the heels of her ankle boots clicking on the marble floor, and dropped her heavy canvas bag beside the smaller throne. Strider's face brightened when he saw her. She sat cross-legged in Denethor's chair and rummaged through the pockets of her acid-wash jacket for a smoke. She pulled it out and lit it, then exhaled and looked around her.

"Yo, Eowyn, how they hanging?" Boromir called out. He pushed his blond hair out of his face.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "You are such a spaz," she told him. "Can't you buy a new joke?" She reached up to check that her hair was holding. Earlier the bow in her black headband had come undone.

Gimli waved at her, his head still hidden by the amp. She could see his bushy red hair sticking up. Legolas stood up and, pulling the joint out from behind his pointed ear, wrapped a bandana around his head. He tucked the joint into the headband. She stared at him.

"New look. Whadda ya think?" he asked her. She looked at him. She nodded approvingly. The pants were tight, the sleeves ripped from the tee-shirt he wore and the bandana made him look exotic somehow.

"It needs something though," she told him. She pulled her bag to her lap and began digging through it. "This might do," she said, getting off her seat. She went to him and tied another bandana around his thigh. She tilted her head and looked at him critically. "I think you need one around your arm, too."

"Sound check, Legolas," Gimli grumbled from his corner. "Just say check first, then sing something."

"Like what, dude?" he asked.

"I don't care. The alphabet if you have to."

"What language, Gimli?"

"Let me," said Eowyn, walking to the mike. "I always wanted to sing."

"Not that bubblegum pop crap, Eowyn." Boromir said, getting behind the drum kit. "We only do metal, rock, good stuff."

"Go for it, Eowyn" said Strider. He was nice that way, he always encouraged her, not like her brother or Boromir.

"Check, check," she said into the mike. Her voice reverberated through the hall. Gimli waved his hand again.

"Okay, sing!" he called.

Eowyn smiled and started singing the latest craze in town. It was a dance tune, very lively. After a minute Boromir laid down a beat and Aragorn tried to follow along on his guitar. It was terrible but it was fun, and for a moment Eowyn felt like a star. She closed her eyes and did a few dance steps, her feet banging on the wooden platform. She didn't see Faramir coming in. He stopped and looked at her, really looked at her for the first time.

When they had finished, Faramir came up to the stage. "You were wonderful," he told Eowyn. She blushed and looked at Strider. He nodded. She smiled from ear to ear.

"You're late, bro," Boromir said, hitting a cymbal. Gimli walked behind him and took his drumstick away, hitting him on the top of the head with it.

"I found out why Gandalf wanted us to form a band," Faramir said, ignoring his brother. "He entered us in the Battle of the Bands contest. Sauruman's got a band too and they bet Middle-Earth on who'll win."

"That sneaky old bastard," Strider said. "Like, when do we have to do this?"

"In like, two weeks," Faramir told him, glancing after Eowyn who had gone back to her seat. She had found her mirror and was touching up her eyeliner.

"We need major practice," Gimli said, looking to Legolas who was stretched out on a bench. "If we can, like, wake up the singer."

"Dude, you like, so need to relax," Legolas told his friend. Eowyn went back to her seat, but Strider waved her to sit in front of the temporary stage.

"We need you to tell us how we do," he said, smiling at her. She melted at the look in his blue eyes.

Legolas leaned on the mike stand and looked out from behind the sunglasses. "Take off the shades," Eowyn told him. He did, blinking at the light for a moment.

Boromir hit the beat and they were off. Strider missed the riff, and Faramir fumbled the bass line. Gimli played rhythm and Boromir managed to keep the beat steady, although he like to put in extra bass every now and then. Legolas stood slouched over the mike and sang. She watched him for a moment.

"Dance, Legolas!" she called to him.

He began to sway and move his feet, sinuously. "Let go of the mike" she hollered. He did, continuing to dance in that bizarre way. His arms waved about. She watched him, fascinated, as they finished the song.

"What the hell was that?" Gimli asked the elf.

"I can't dance, dude. I just kind of made it up." Legolas told him.

"No way!" Eowyn said, staring at him.

"Way," he told her.

"Do it again," she said. They started the song again. Strider missed the riff the first time but caught it on the second. Eowyn barely noticed. She seemed mesmerized by the gyrating elf. Then she held up her hand. "Stop for a sec," she said. They all looked at her.

"Legolas, can you like, growl?" she asked seriously. He stared at her.

"You sound like a wuss. Snarl. Rough it up a bit. Try it like that. And keep dancing."

They started again and she watched them with an odd smile on her face. When they had finished, they looked at her expectantly.

"Are there going to be like, any girls judging this thing?" she asked Faramir. He nodded, still puzzled by the look on her face.

"You are totally going to win!" she told them.

"We're good?" Gimli asked, surprised.

"Hell, no! You suck big time. But, he," she pointed toward the grinning elf, "is the sexiest thing I've ever seen!"


	2. Sister Christian

Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I still own nothing.

Sister Christian

Eowyn caught up with Strider in the courtyard. He looked happy to see her, and she matched her step with his as they made their way up to the citadel.

"I thought of, like, the perfect name for your group," she told him. He looked at her expectantly.

"I want to tell you all together," she said. "Boromir probably won't like it, because it comes from me." She hung her head. "He thinks I'm an airhead."

"No, he likes you," Strider told her confidently. That was one of the things she liked about him, he never tried to make people feel bad or tell jokes at their expense. She felt better immediately.

Eowyn had developed a crush on Strider almost as soon as she'd met him. She didn't know if it was because he was so kind, or because he had that lost and dangerous look about him. She tried hard not to act flirty and silly with him. She was happy to be his friend and hoped that one day he would really notice her. Not as Theoden's spoiled niece, but for who she really was. Until then she didn't want to push him.

The rest of the group were waiting in one of the rooms off the main hall. From the look on Boromir's face she knew that Denethor had complained about the noise last night. Legolas was back in his leather pants and Gimli was running a pick through his bushy hair. Faramir was writing something, and from the look of him when they came in, he didn't want them to see it. He hid the papers under a book and brushed his shaggy blond hair back with his hand.

"Dude!" Legolas said, taking his feet off the table. "You missed some major fireworks!"

"Dad's pissed again, he means," Boromir said. "And he started in on our hair again last night."

"Your hair," Faramir put in. "Mine's long enough for him."

"Whatever!" Boromir snapped. "He said we're, like, too loud. He was all like, 'I can't get any work done!'." He snorted. "Then it was all like, when I was your age my hair was so long, like I care."

"Man, that sucks." Strider told him. He took a seat beside Legolas and Eowyn dropped her bag on the table and slid in beside Gimli. He smiled at her and put his pick back in his pocket.

"We need to practice," Gimli said.

"First we need to like, think of a name," Boromir told him. "I have one. I think we should be called PowerTower."

"Ew, gross!" Eowyn said, sticking her finger in her mouth. "I don't want to know about your tower problems, kay?"

"How about TowerPower?" Boromir asked them, ignoring Eowyn. She made gagging noises at him.

"Bogus, dude." Legolas told him.

"What about Whitetower?" Gimli asked. Strider shook his head.

"I think we should stay away from the tower thing," he told them. "It's like, too obvious."

"How about 'Legolas Kicks Ass'," the elf suggested.

"How about 'Boromir Kicks Legolas' Ass'?" Boromir retorted.

The elf smiled and held up his hands. "Just tryin' to help, dude," he said.

"Just call it 'Hair Band'," Faramir put in. "That might sweeten the old man."

"Eowyn has a name," Strider interrupted them. "Shut up and listen." He motioned to Eowyn. She blushed for a moment, the spoke up.

"I think you should call it 'Swords N Lilies'," she said. The boys all stared at her. "Think about it. It's different, it's totally violent yet flowery at the same time."

"Swords N Lilies," Legolas said, trying it out. "I kinda like it."

"It'll stick in people's minds," Gimli agreed. "They won't have a clue what it means, but it'll stick."

"It sucks," Boromir said. "What kind of cheezy name is that?"

"Oh, shut up!" Faramir told him. "Grow some hair, will ya?" Boromir lunged at his brother and they both tumbled over the bench. They rolled on the floor, wrestling and punching each other. The others were used to it and ignored it. The fights never lasted long or did any real damage.

"Looks like Swords N Lilies it is," Legolas said, pulling the joint from behind his ear and lighting it. He inhaled deeply and offered it to Gimli who declined. Strider and Eowyn shook their heads and he sighed and took another toke. Boromir and Faramir's heads popped up from beneath the table.

"Legolas! You can't spark up in here!" Boromir said in a loud whisper. "The old man's upstairs!"

"Oh, chill out!" Legolas told him as the brothers scrambled to their feet. "Like, what's he gonna do, send a message to my dad? Yeah, right." He took yet another drag, held his breath for a moment then exhaled. "By the time the messenger gets back with my dad's message, your dad will have something else to bitch about."

Strider looked at him and shook his head. "Yeah, but you'll get me in deep shit. You know they always blame me."

Legolas sighed. "Whatever, dude." He crushed out the end of the joint and slipped it back behind his ear. "But I have one more thing to say. I think we should keep Eowyn around. Dudette has some awesome ideas about bands."

Eowyn blushed and looked down at the table. She noticed Strider smile at her. She looked back up and smiled at them all.

"Elf-boy's right," Gimli said. "She knows what the other babes are into."

"Sounds good to me," Faramir said, smiling at the blonde girl.

"No way!" Boromir said. "No chick is gonna tell me what to do."

"Way!" Legolas said, looking intently at Boromir.

"No way!" he yelled back. A banging from the room above them made him lower his voice. "Great, now you got the old man riled up again."

"What do you say, Strider?" Faramir asked quietly. He moved to the window and opened it, trying to waft the last wisps of smoke out. Legolas laughed at him.

"Way. Eowyn knows what she's talking about."

"Bitchin'," Legolas said, sitting up and taking his joint out again.

"Not till after we do some major practice, dude," Strider told him.

"Bummer, man. It loosens me up, Strider," the elf replied.

Gimli hauled his friend up from his seat. "Any looser and you'll pass out again."

Boromir waited until Eowyn stood up and walked over to her. "I'm the creative mind behind the music, babe. Just remember that."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Fine. But I'm the," she stopped and turned to Strider. "What exactly am I?"

"Like, the image consultant," he told her.

"Yeah, I like the sound of that," she said. "Image consultant." She narrowed her eyes and looked at Boromir. "How do you feel about eyeliner?"


	3. I Remember You

Chapter Three

I Remember You

"Uncle T! I need some money," Eowyn called, crossing the great hall. Her uncle, Theoden of Rohan, looked up, horrified by the elf that followed her. Legolas had traded in the leather pants for skin tight Levis, a chain belt, a white t-shirt without sleeves, several chains around his neck and the rapidly becoming customary headband. His boots clicked as he strode behind the girl.

"What for this time and what is he doing here?" Theoden asked, straightening up in his chair.

"I'm going to the mall, Legolas is driving me. Gotta get some makeup, hairspray, other girl things, y'know," she dropped a slow wink at her uncle, knowing the quickest way to get him to shut up and give her money was to bring up feminine hygiene products. Legolas snickered behind her.

Theoden stared at the elf. "He doesn't look like he can walk straight, let alone drive."

"He's fine, Uncle T." She rifled through her bag, pulling out a stick of gum. Popping it into her mouth, she crossed over to her uncle and held out a hand. "Please, I've gotta meet the guys later."

Theoden sighed and pulled out his wallet. "What guys?" he asked, counting out the bills into her hand.

"Oh, Strider and them. You know, the band?"

"Band?" Eomer said, coming into the room, followed by Grima. Eowyn's brother was a jock, famous for his skills as a quarterback. He'd be taking Rohan all the way to Nationals this year and Theoden was incredibly proud of him. He smiled as his nephew crossed over to them.

Grima was a prep, wanting to finish school and get going on an internship in Rohan's government. He was always trying to hang around with Eomer, who put up with him, mostly because Theoden liked him. Both boys looked over at the elf.

"Legolas," Eomer said, diffidently.

"Dude," the elf replied, nodding at him.

"You know him, Eomer?" Theoden asked, putting his wallet away.

"Played basketball two years ago. Best centre we ever had. Too bad you gave it up, elf." Eomer said sadly.

Legolas shrugged. "Too much pressure, dude." He smiled, and Theoden started worrying all over again. Strider was bad enough, but this elf was like having Eowyn's honour served up on a plate.

"Why don't you go to the mall with them?" he asked Eomer, turning to face his nephew. Eowyn stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"We'll be fine, Uncle T. Eomer doesn't want to hang at the mall, he's got practice or something."

"I could go with them, I don't mind." Grima said, trying to be helpful. He was staring at the elf intently. "Are you wearing eyeliner?" he asked.

Legolas nodded. "Eowyn's idea. Looks good."

Eomer instantly checked to see which ear the cluster of gold leaves dangled from. Right. He wasn't sure if he should start worrying again or not.

"You don't need to babysit me, Grima." Eowyn said, setting her lip in a pout. "Honestly, we're just going to the mall. Then we're going up to the citadel for band practice. I'll get a ride home with Gimli, you trust him, don't you?"

"That dwarf? Yes, yes, that's fine." Theoden turned back to his paperwork.

"You're in a band?" Grima asked, his pale eyes lingering on Eowyn's hair. She noticed, it had taken ages to get the curl just right. She was seriously thinking about getting a perm.

"No, I'm the image consultant."

"She's awesome, dude," Legolas put in. "Got bodacious ideas."

There was a knock on the door. A small curly head poked in. "Eomer?" a voice called.

"C'mon in, Merry." The small figure walked across the room. He was shorter than Gimli, they noticed.

"This is Merry. He's helping with the team. His family just moved here from some foreign place,"

"The Shire" Merry put in helpfully. "We're hobbits, my cousins and I"

"Yeah, and his cousin Pip has the most wicked cool accent. Anyway, Merry, this is my Uncle Theoden, my sister Eowyn, Grima, and Legolas. He's an elf."

"I noticed that," Merry said, looking up at the tall form.

"Dude." Legolas said, nodding. "Gotta go, Eowyn."

"Can he speak in complete sentences?" Theoden muttered. Eowyn kissed her uncle on the cheek.

"Thanks for the cash, Uncle T. Won't be too late tonight." she said.

"Later, Dude, Uncle Dude, Little Dude, other Dude." Legolas said, giving a wave.

"Good luck with band practice." Grima called. Eomer looked at him.

"They're in a band? That's awesome!" Merry exclaimed. "My cousins and I sing."

Hiking up the stairs to the citadel a few hours later, Eowyn was quite happy with her purchases. Legolas carried all the bags, leaving Eowyn to deal with her purse, which was quite big and covered in fringe.

They heard the guitar as they made their way to the throne room. Surprisingly, it was Gimli. He sat on the stage, playing a hard thrashing riff on a new guitar. Faramir and Boromir watched approvingly.

"Gimli!" Eowyn called, crossing to them. "I didn't know you could play like that."

Gimli grinned. "Dad picked this up for me." He offered the guitar for inspection. Legolas whistled.

"Dude, that is one cherry axe!"

Strider laughed from behind the stage. "Gloin's gonna love that one. When we explain it to him. Did you get what you needed?" he asked them.

Legolas put down the bags and fumbled behind his ear. He lit his spliff, then sighed.

"Dammit, Legolas, can't you just say no?" Faramir said, opening a window.

Legolas sighed. "Dude, you take betty to the mall. Walked for like hours." He inhaled deeply. "I like earned this, dude."

Eowyn smacked his arm. "For cear? Like, we only went to six stores." She rummaged through the bags. "Okay, let's do this."

Eowyn turned her deadly fashion sense on Boromir first.

"'Kay, like from now on, you don't shave, and you don't wear a shirt. Just this vest. No more parachute pants. I got some tight Levi's for you. And I got you these." She pulled out a pair of leather vambraces. "Got 'em at the new head shop. We seriously gotta do something with your hair, so I got you this." She pulled out several bottles and jars.

"Check it out." She mussed his hair, added some mouse, messed it up some more and sprayed it.

"Dude, you look like you've got hair!" Legolas said, holding his breath.

"Dad might even take it easy on you for a bit." Faramir added.

"I'm still thinking about extensions, but I don't know." Eowyn said, with a critical eye.

"What about me?" Gimli asked, taking the joint from Legolas while there was still some left. Eowyn dug in the biggest bag.

"Dude, you are gonna love this," Legolas said, grinning.

Eowyn pulled a large top hat out of the bag and set in on Gimli's curly hair. "That is so awesome, I told ya, didn't I, Legolas?"

"You did, dudette. It totally works."

"Wait, try this with it. Get out of that shirt."

Gimli took off his new hat and pulled the black t-shirt over his head. Eowyn passed him a longsleeved shirt, and looked at the dwarf's physique approvingly.

"Man, Gims, you are ripped! You're not juicin' are ya?"

Gimli shook his head. "All natural."

Eowyn nodded. "'Kay, then don't, like, do this up."

Gimli slipped into the black shirt and put his hat back on. Then he lit a cigarette and looked at them.

"Damn! You are fine!" Eowyn told the dwarf. "Gonna have to like get a stick to beat the girls off ya."

She turned her gaze to Faramir and Strider. For just a moment she went shy. Then she got herself together.

"You two don't need much work." she blushed. "But I'm putting eyeliner on you both, and you're piercing your ears."

"Can't. Elrond will kill me." Strider said. He raised his eyebrows. "Kings do not give in to passing fads," he said in imitation of his Great-Grand-Uncle. Legolas giggled.

Eowyn looked sad for a moment. "You can do mine, Eowyn," Faramir said, trying to cheer her up. "Do my ear twice, that'll kinda like make up for him." He motioned to Strider.

"Okay," she said, fishing a needle out of her purse, "Legolas, I need a light." He lit his Zippo and she sterilized the needle. She quickly punched two holes in Faramir's ear, then attached the gold studs she'd bought. Faramir pulled his hair back to show the others.

"Bitchin', dude," the elf told him. "I might need another one."

"Can't see your ears anyway, with the headband," Boromir said, fastening the vambraces on his wrists. "These are awesome, Eowyn, thanks."

"I've got a few more ideas, but I think you guys should practice. You need it," she laughed, settling into Denethor's throne and lighting a cigarette.

They ran through their main song a few times. Strider was getting the timing on the complicated riff at the beginning down and Legolas' dancing was getting even sexier, Eowyn thought. If nothing happened to the elf between now and the contest, they might even have a chance.

When they broke it off for the night, Denethor banging on the floor above them, it became apparent to Strider that Gimli, who'd shared a few with Legolas was in no shape to drive.

"I'll take you home, Eowyn," he said, looking over at the giggling dwarf. Gimli was trying to wear his new had upside down. "Don't worry."

She said goodnight, took her packages and headed down to the cart. Strider was good with horses and they made good time back to her house.

"Thanks for all your help with everything," Strider told her, looking at her with those intense eyes.

"It's okay, I like doing it." She ducked her head, suddenly shy again. He smiled at her and helped her down from the cart. She gathered up her parcels and smiled up at him. He smiled back and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks again," he said, climbing back up onto the seat. She blushed, and headed into the hall. Neither one saw Grima, watching from behind a pillar.


End file.
